The present invention relates to waste processing systems, and more specifically to a safety and control device, a safety and control system, and methods thereof for a waste processing system.
A variety of machines have been developed to recycle, reduce, or otherwise process wood and brush products. Included therein are machines that chip, cut, grind, or otherwise reduce waste (wood) products including, generally, chippers (disk and drum types), hammer mills, hogs, shredders, grinders, and forestry mowers.
These waste processing systems typically include an infeed system and a waste reducing or cutting system, wherein the infeed system is used for directing the waste material to the waste reducing system, the waste reducing system being used for reducing the waste material. These waste processing systems also include a discharge system for removing and directing the reduced material.
These waste processing systems include large, industrial conveyor fed waste processing machines which are capable of quickly reducing bulky (e.g., large size) wood products, as well as doing so in high volume applications. For example, conveyor-fed systems may be used to reduce large tree stumps and trunks, as well as branches, brush, and other bulk wood products. These known systems generally include: an infeed assembly comprising, for example only, a conveyor infeed system; a feed wheel assembly comprising, for example only, a pair of feed-wheels; a cutting assembly comprising, for example only, a drum assembly further comprising reducing members; and a discharge assembly comprising, for example only, a conveyor discharge system.
Examples of such waste processing machines are disclosed in: U.S. Pat. No. 6,047,912, issued Apr. 11, 2000, entitled “Break-Away Processing Tool For A Waste Processing Machine”; U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,863,003 and 6,299,082; issued Jan. 26, 1999 and Oct. 9, 2001, respectively; all to Smith; and entitled “Waste Processing Machine”; U.S. Pat. No. 6,059,210 issued May 9, 2000 to Smith, entitled “Rotor Assembly For A Waste Processing Machine”; U.S. Pat. No. 6,517,020, issued Feb. 11, 2003 to Smith, entitled “Replaceable Raker Assembly For Processing Tool Of Waste Processing Machine”; U.S. Pat. No. 6,299,082, issued Oct. 9, 2001 to Smith, entitled “Waste Processing Machine”; U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,845,931, 7,121,485, 7,384,011, and 7,726,594; issued Jan. 25, 2005, Oct. 17, 2006, Jun. 10, 2008, and Jun. 1, 2010, respectively; all to Smith; and entitled “Multi-Functional Tool Assembly For Processing Tool of Waste Processing Machine”; and U.S. Pat. No. 7,163,166, issued Jan. 16, 2007 to Smith, entitled “Rotatable Assembly For Machines”, all of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.
These waste processing systems also include wood chippers. For example, hand-fed wood chippers are used to reduce trees, branches, brush, and other bulk wood products into smaller wood chips. A typical wood chipper includes an infeed chute; a feed system which may be adapted for controlling the feed rate of wood products; a wood chipping mechanism (disc or drum); a drive system for the feed system and chipping mechanism; and a discharge chute. More particularly, the infeed chute is typically a funnel-type conduit provided with a wide opening which tapers toward the feed system to converge the bulk wood/waste products toward the chipping mechanism and, through the action of the feed system, the bulk wood products are brought into contact with the chipping mechanism which grinds, flails, cuts, or otherwise reduces the wood and waste products into smaller pieces. The smaller pieces are then propelled out of the discharge chute. An example of such a wood chipper is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,988,539, issued Nov. 23, 1999 to Morey, and entitled “Wood Chipper With Infeed Chute Safety Device” which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. In these known systems, the wood chipper generally includes an infeed assembly, feed wheel assembly, and a cutting assembly having a rotatable disc or drum with at least one knife or blade for chipping the wood entering the wood chipper and reducing it to wood chips. The chipper also includes a discharge chute for allowing the wood chips to exit the wood chipper, as well as for generally directing them during discharge.
Other examples of such wood chippers are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,032,707, issued Mar. 7, 2000 to Morey et al., entitled “Drum Assembly For A Wood Chipper”; U.S. Pat. No. 6,036,125, issued Mar. 14, 2000 to Morey et al., entitled “Wood Chipper”; U.S. Pat. No. 5,988,539, issued Nov. 23, 1999 to Morey, entitled “Wood Chipper With Infeed Chute Safety Device”; U.S. Pat. No. 6,000,642, issued Dec. 14, 1999 to Morey, entitled “Wood Chipper With Infeed Chute Safety Device”; U.S. Pat. No. 6,722,596, issued Apr. 20, 2004 to Morey, entitled “Multiple Wheel Feed Wheel Assembly For A Wood Chipper”; U.S. Pat. No. 6,357,684, issued Mar. 19, 2002 to Morey, entitled “Adjustable Tension Feed Wheel Assembly For A Wood Chipper”; U.S. Pat. No. 6,830,204, issued Dec. 14, 2004 to Morey, entitled “Reversing Automatic Feed Wheel Assembly For A Wood Chipper”; U.S. Pat. No. 6,814,320, issued Nov. 9, 2004 to Morey et al., entitled “Reversing Automatic Feed Wheel Assembly For Wood Chipper”; all of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.
Further, and by way of example only, the feed wheel assemblies of these waste processing systems, including wood chippers may comprise: a stationary lower feed wheel, connected to a lower housing; and a movable upper feed wheel, connected to an upper housing and movable relative to the lower housing for allowing wood to enter the cutting assembly. Further, one or both of the feed wheels may be rotatably powered or driven. These waste processing and chipper systems are also typically powered via an internal combustion, and again by way of example only: may include one or more hydraulic pumps which supply one or more hydraulic drives or motors for rotating the one or more feed wheels; and may also include one or more drive belts and pulley systems which drive the rotatable disc or drum of the cutting assembly.
However, although these types of waste processing systems are useful, if operated incorrectly problems can arise and, for example, failure of the operator to follow proper procedures, guidelines, and instructions (e.g., improper usage of the waste processing machine, its various systems, and/or is safety features) may result in damage to the machine or injury. For example, while the feed systems (e.g., feed wheels) are designed to feed bulk wood products to the cutting assembly, such systems are unable to discern what is being fed. By way of another example, and again when proper procedures are not followed, the cutting assembly (e.g., chipping mechanism) which is generally a large disc or drum which is designed to rotate at high speeds in order to produce the proper forces which are necessary to chip, cut, grind, or otherwise reduce the wood and/or waste products.
As such, and speaking with respect to wood chippers, it is generally desired therefore for the operator to feed such wood material to the infeed and feed systems while being located to the side of these system and, to the extent possible, reduce operating the machine from directly in front thereof.
The following prior art is disclosed and accomplishes, inter alia, some of the desired procedures, controls, and features that are discussed in more detail herein. For example, U.S. national application Ser. No. 13/318,142 entitled “SAFETY AND CONTROL DEVICE, SYSTEM, AND METHOD THEREOF FOR A WASTE PROCESSING SYSTEM” which was nationalized in the U.S. on Oct. 29, 2011, discloses, inter alia, numerous embodiments of foot pedals and other controls that may be positioned to the side of such waste processing machines in order to effectuate such feeding. Further yet, International Application No. PCT/US12/48461 entitles “WASTE PROCESSING MACHINE, VIGILANCE CONTROL SYSTEM, TIMER, AND METHODS THEREFOR” which was filed on Jul. 27, 2012 discloses, inter alia, numerous embodiments of timing systems and other controls that may also assist with safely feeding such waste processing machines, and both of these applications are also incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.
Therefore, there is a need in the art to provide safety and control systems, devices, and methods thereof which have, among other advantages, which reduce or prevent the risks associated with these prior art waste processing machines and which increase the control of and over these waste processing machines. It is also desirable to provide such systems and devices that are relatively inexpensive to manufacture, assemble, and are easily operable. It is also desirable to provide such systems, practices, and methods which increase safety and otherwise establish or promote the safe operation of these waste processing machines. Therefore, there is a need in the art to provide safety and control systems, devices, and methods for a waste processing system which overcomes the above-identified disadvantages.
Accordingly, a need exists for novel systems and methods which have, among other advantages, increasing the utilization, productivity, and efficiency of such systems; the ability to provide for increased safety while reducing or preventing the risks associated with these prior art waste processing machines. As well as being simple to operate and cost effective. It is further desirable to provide such devices and systems which are relatively inexpensive to manufacture, assemble, as well as are easily operable. It is also desirable to provide methods that are effective, cost effective, and are easily maintained and/or followed. Yet further, a need exists for novel devices, systems, and methods which have, among other advantages, the ability to assist with the proper control of these machines and the proper feeding of these machines.
Therefore, safety and control devices, systems, and associated methods that solve the aforementioned disadvantages and having the aforementioned advantages are desired.